Public safety an issue in letter to elderly
Eron Ben-Yehuda
HUNTINGTON BEACH -- The war over Wal-Mart may have died down with the
defeat of Measure I last week, but criticism lingers over a “scare
tactic” used to convince the elderly to vote against the ballot
initiative.
The letter was sent out to senior citizens just days before the March 7
election, warning them that a vote for the measure “threatens” the city’s
ability to provide “badly needed” police and paramedic services. But,
Measure J, which was approved by voters last week, asked residents
whether they wanted the city to spend half of its income from Wal-Mart on
park and sports facilities and didn’t mention anything about public
safety.
The privately funded letter was signed by four City Council members who
support the retailer’s plan to build a megastore, which the measure
intended to undermine by having the project site rezoned from commercial
to residential. Voters defeated the measure 54% to 46%.
“I realize that we lost the election, but I think what they did to the
senior citizens was an out-and-out scare tactic,” said Wal-Mart opponent
Donna Griffith, whose 83-year-old mother received the letter.
Councilwoman Shirley Dettloff, who signed the mailer along with Mayor
Dave Garofalo and council members Ralph Bauer and Pam Julien, defended
both its content and tone.
Dettloff denied the mailer was sent to the elderly because they are
especially vulnerable. They were targeted because of their thoughtfulness
and maturity, she said.
“They make good, probably the best, decisions because it’s based on
experience,” she said.
Had the measure passed, the city would have lost $400,000 in annual sales
tax revenue the store was projected to generate, she said. To make
matters worse, the homes that would have been built instead of the store
would have cost the city more in services than they could bring in
property taxes, putting the city into a deeper financial hole, she added.
Historically, the city had come close to cutting corners on public
safety, and the potential passage of the measure did not bode well for
the future, she said.
“Indeed, these were possibilities,” she said.
But Councilman Peter Green said the $400,000 is only a drop in the bucket
when you consider the city’s annual operating budget of more than $200
million. Green said he was “appalled” by the letter. So was Councilman
Dave Sullivan.
“I’m telling you right here and now, those statements are absolutely
false,” he said.
The letter was paid for by the campaign committee that defeated the
measure.
Now that the election is over, Dettloff said she hopes everyone can let
bygones be bygones.
“I was really hoping this was part of our past,” she said.
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